Did I catch and halter this horse properly?
August 19, 2011 by cherryhillhorsekeeping
Cherry,
My question is about a riding-school horse: in the scenario below, what if anything should I have done differently?
At this school, students ride a different horse every time. Over weeks or months, a student might ride the same horse again. This was the first and only time so far I was assigned to this horse.
When I first entered her pipe-stall, she acted friendly and let me remove her blanket. But when I re-entered the stall with halter and lead rope, she nipped at the air in my direction. She did this every time I slowly moved the halter toward her nose and she became more aggressive.
My job was to catch her, lead her to cross-ties, and tack her up in time for a riding lesson 30 minutes later.
I reasoned that I should not reward her nipping by backing off or going away (to get help!). Instead I growled (yelling or shouting are expressly forbidden in this barn) and let her know she couldn’t get rid of me, by keeping my fingertips on her shoulder, at arm’s length, and following her as she rotated around her stall, away from me. After some 20 nips, she gave up and let me put the halter on her. After that everything was fine.
What should I have done differently? Caroline
Hi Caroline,
If the purpose of the lessons at this schools is to test a students ability to deal with various horses, then I would say in general, you did an acceptable job. But if testing was the aim, then you would have received an evaluation and critique from an instructor who was watching. It sounds as though you did not.
If the purpose of the school is to teach students how to interact with various types of horses, then I would say the school failed. With a horse like this, it should have taken one of the instructors just a few minutes to demonstrate the best way to approach, catch and halter this particular horse in her pipe stall. Then you could have done the same. An instructor would have been able to advise you whether the horse was playing a game with you or was truly aggressive, something I can not ascertain from an email.
I am positively impressed with your savvy to not reward her with backing off from her attempts at nipping.
What should you have done differently? Perhaps after catching the horse and haltering her, you could have turned her loose, left her pen and then asked an instructor to watch as you approached, caught and haltered the horse once again.
A lesson begins the moment you begin approaching a horse. A riding school should instruct from that point on, not just when you are in the saddle.
Thanks for the good question.
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Posted in Behavior, Catching, Ground Training, Handling, In-Hand Work, Nipping, Personal Space, Respect, Training, What Every Horse Should Know | Tagged attitude, biting, equine, ground training, horse behavior, nipping, training | 4 Comments
Cherry Hill's Horsekeeping 
I once, while working for a vet, was told to go catch this mare. I proceeded to enter the stall while the vet hid out of sight. The horse hated vets and would become very aggressive. They thought I could catch her more readily because the mare didn’t know me. She perked her ears peacefully, extended her neck to have a nice curious sniff and I raised the halter casually towards her.
Everything else happened in slow motion and the blink of an eye at the same time. I saw ears pin and the mare’s face contor. I turned and bolted for the door as the mare spun around with more precision than a well seasoned reining horse.
The mare double barelled. She nailed me just below the small of my back with both feet. It took 3 grooms to catch her and lots of sedation to get the job done.
Learning experience: When they tell you “I need to hide so she doesn’t see me”… Don’t go into the stall.
Sounds like excellent advise. I would say there should always be a person around that knows the horse.
Hi, Im Paula. I have a 13ish, MUSTANG GELD. , and we just BOUGHT a 2 1/2 yr. old BUCKSKIN COLT. He IS an ANGEL. WHY, DO I have to KEEP MY 13 yr. old TIED, for BULLING HIM, BITING each other, leaving MARK’S from EACH OTHER? It’s NOT the 2 1/2 yr. old, its MY 13yr. old won’t LEAVE him ALONE! Also, WHY does my 13 yr. old GELD. EAT the 2 1/2 yr old’s POOP? I’ve NEVER seen that before? I HOPE to GET THE ANSWER? I live in Baja Mx., and ya DON’T always GET the WHOLE ENCHILADA, about these HORSE’S. We have MANY RESCUE’S here that are SPECTACULAR! We’re HOPING to have a SURGICAL SET UP SOON? It’s being TALKED about now??? Well, the above is MY QUESTION. Ty. Paula
Bueno Cherry, Boy it’s TOUGH to GET thru! My QUES. is: Im told that MY13 yr. old GELD., is EATING my 2 1/ 2 yr. COLT’S POOP?! They said he’s LACKING my 13 yr. old now, NEED’S SALT???!!! He’s does it for WHAT HE LACK’S in HIMSELF?! I STILL CAN NOT GET a RIGHT ANSWER!
Thank You for YOUR TIME.
Paula s. Paro username
PONZONE my HORSE? Your SYSTEM wouldn’t let me OPEN? Later. Paula